Henry esbach



(No Model.)

H. ESBAGH.

CORNET. No. 417,671. Patented Dec. 1'7, 1889.

N PETERS. PhuhrLflhngnpheL Washinglnu, p. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ESB AOH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO THE BOSTON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MANUFAOTORY, OF SAME PLACE.

CORN ET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,671, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed y 25, 1889- Serial No. 318,647. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ESBAOH, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Oornets, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to cornet-s, and has for its object to construct the cornet, as will be described, whereby it may be quickly changed from a cornet of one key, as a B-flat cornet, to a cornet of another key, as an A cornet.

In orchestralwork it frequently happens that the score changes from B-fiat to A, and the performer is obliged to change his cornet to adapt it to the key. With cornets as now commonly constructed and known to me this change from a B-flat to an A cornet is-aceomplished by removing the mouth-piece and the set-piece, with which it is connected, and substituting for the saidset-piece a longer setpiece, which requires time, and in practice frequently occasions veXatious and annoying delays; and so, also, I am aware that it has been attempted to effect the change from one key to another by making the set-piece so as to slide in a stationary tube. This form of cornet is objectionable, inasmuch as the diameter of the air-passage is made irregular when the set-piece is drawn out, and as a result the correctness of the scale is impaired. So, also, when the set-piece is drawn out it is supported at itsend only, and the hearing or supporting surface for the said set-piece being thus largely diminished, the said setpiece in use is apt to wabble and the supported end is quickly worn out, and thelightness of the fitnecessary for the perfect working of the instrument is destroyed.

It is the object of this invention to construct the cornet, as will be described, whereby it may be changed substantially in an instant from one key, as B-flat, to another key, as A, and vice versa, without removing any of the sliding tubes and substituting therefor other tubes of a different length to obtain the desired tone or key, and at the same time maintaining the diameter of the air-passage the same in both positions of the instrument.

In accordance with my invention one or more of the heads or coils of the tubes or pipes remote from the mouth-piece are made extensible, so as to slide, preferably, within fixed or stationary tubes or pipes, so that when in one position, as the innermost position, the cornet will be a Btlat cornet, and when in another position, as its outermost position, the said cornet will be an A cornet, a suitable gage or stop being provided by which the outward movement of the said sliding tube may be limited, whereby the said sliding tube or pipe may be quickly pulled out to the required position to obtain the desired tone without the need of extra precaution or care to obtain the required adjustment on the part of the performer, the said sliding tubes being made, as will be described, so that the diameter of the air-passage will remain the same in both positions of the said sliding tubes.

My invention therefore consists, essentially, in a cornet provided with a key-slide and a gage to limit the movement of the said slide in one direction, substantially as will be described.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a cornet enibodying my invention,it being shown by full lines in the cornet or usual position for playing, as a B flat cornet; Fig. 2, a bottom or plan view of the cornet shown in Fig. 1; Fig.

3, a longitudinal section on line ac 00, Fig. 1, through one of the extensible tubes or pipes; and Fig. 4, a cross-section on line y y, Fig. 3.

The cornet A, provided with the usual valves or keys a, the mouth-piece a, and setpiece a may be of any usual or well-known construction. The set-piece a is secured to or forms part of a tube or pipe a fastened, 0 as herein shown, to the valve tubes or casings b. The tube or pipe a in accordance with my invention is connected by a sliding curved or bent tube 1) with a tube or pipe section b fastened to the lower part of the valve 5 tubes or casings b. The stationary pipe-seetion I) is connected at its other end by a bent tube or pipe section b to a pipe-section b fastened to the valve casing or tubes 1), the bent pipe-section b being hereinafter desig- IOO nated by me as the tuning-slide in contradistinction from the key-slide b. The stagages the said sleeve or eye when the sliding tube I) is drawn out into its adjusted position to change the eornet from one key to another, as a B-flat eornet to an A eornet the said rod and cap constituting a gage for the instrument.

The change from one key to another may be eifeeted by means of the key-slide I) alone; but I prefer to employ the two key-slides Z) c, as with this construction the said slides need be drawn out only one-half the distance one tube would have to be drawn out ifv only one tube were used as the key-slides, and consequently the said key-slides need only be su stantially one-half as long.

\ I 1 order to preserve the freeness and quality of the tone of the ii'istrument, the substantially straight ends or arms of the sliding key-slides (marked 2 in Figs. 3 and 4) will be made substantially long and will be made large enough in diameter to permit the straight arms of the tuning-slide I)" (marked to be inserted into them, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It will thus be seen that when the key-slide Z) is drawn out the desired or required distance to effect the change in the key the arms 3 of the tuningslides I) will still remain within the runs 2 of the keyslide and the continuity of the passage will remain unbroken, thereby preserving the quality and tone of the instrument. It will be noticed that even when the key-slides are drawn out, as above described, a substantially long bearing is afforded by the tubes b and a thus obviating wabbling and wearing away of the slides.

The key-slides b 0 may be provided with the usual water-valves (6 th, herein shown as operated by a single lever (Z",1)l\ 'Oi-Gd as at (1".

so adjusted that the comet may be made to accord with any pitch, either sharp or flat.

In practice the key-slides will be lubricated with any suitable or usual lubricant, and in said slide in one direction, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The herein-described cornet, provided with two key-slides, and a gage consisting of movement of the said slides, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described cornet, having a key-slide and tuning-slide, fitted one within tially long arms to maintain the diameter of the air-passage uniform in both positions of the said key-slide, substantially as described.

4. The herein-described cornet, provided HENRY ESBACII.

Witn esses:

JAs. II. CHURCHILL, FREDERICK L. EMERY.

By means of the gage the key-slide may be order to protect the garments or clothing of over the stationary (Z and sleeve (1, to limit the movement of the a rod d and sleeve d, to limit the outward the other, the said key-slide having substanwith a key-slide and a to limit the move- 30 

